The Long And Awaited..

The latest installment of my soon-to-be-published novel. Enjoy!
Oh and one more thing, i have been working on a new movie i plan to submit to KD (Kid Directors) if i can get my actors to take this seriously.

PROLOGUE

Garatul shifted his weight slightly as he packed his friends brown horse. “You don’t have to go” he whispered “that Turen is a fool to end all fools, he’s full of wind”!. “Sorry Garatul, but if Turen thinks he’s found something interesting and urgent, then tis only my job to inspect it, even if the result will probably be in vain and worthless to anything, but I am the Shadow Master, at least the last time I checked, and it is my job to ensure that this world lives long enough for someone greater in the martial arts of Shadow to come along, beat me, and clame his title”! At this Garatul abruptly stopped packing his friends horse and stared at him. “Tis fools talk” proclaimed Garatul “don’t go”. “Garatul” the shadow master said in a this-ends-this-matter sort of way “I must go, may I remind you that you are NOT my head, but my councilor, and my best friend I’ve ever known for that, but I still, am going, tis my duty”.Garatul humbled at this. “Its just I worry for your life, dear friend, we’ve been through so much”. “Yes, and tis still my duty, and I must go”. “Be safe Maluker” said Garatul.At this, Maluker put a battle-scarred hand on his friends shoulder and said: “Don’t worry old friend, you said it yourself, Turen probably found some old ruin or something, nothing to worry about”.Without another word, Maluker mounted his horse and trotted off into the dark morning. Rain dripped down Garatuls old cheeks and creating an eerie silence, and his stare was one of deep concern. “Somethings not right about this one old friend, Turen is a shaky fellow, and something is not right”…

Chapter 1

Jallech squirmed in his chair as he tried to get a good position. Today was his first day in the martial arts training core, but so far all he’d seen is books, a lot of books, and as the day wore on, he lost all hope for a glimpse of sparring. “You think we’ll get to fight today”? Jallech asked in whisper to his best friend, Jhark. “Not unless the world turns futile and space turns non-existent” said Jhark. Talking to Jhark was like that, he always tried to be funny, but really made himself look odd. “Um” muttered Jallech “Eh”.”Better not talk, master’s getting a little suspicouse” said Jhark. He gulped. Their teacher and their master, MaÉster Garatul Haûn, was looking down at them with a very sour expression indeed."Kind sirs Jhark HaÉn son of Guruko and Jallech Akens son of Maluker would you please shift your devoted attentions to something opposite from conversing, rather your studies perhaps"? asked Master Garatul in his kind but stern matter.Jallech's strong personality and character would have up and telling Master Garatul that he'd much prefer 'conversing' then looking at dull and dragged on studies all hour, but his conciense, which was of equal prowess eventually dominated the struggle and Jallech swallowed his pride and shifted his sight dutifully to the long and pointless page of his dusty studying.The hours dragged on, and every second, every turn, felt like a million years, eons, and when Jallech was finally asked to return his book, he half expected to look up to a dusty dank room filled with cobwebs, or, at least he felt that to be an accurate assumption.Jallech pulled himself up from his chair, threw his book in the satchel that was laying on Master Garatuls bench, and walked patiently out of the room to meet Jhark. "Did you find anything useful" asked Jhark quizically, though already foretelling the answer. "No" said Jallech out of boredom and exhaustion "You"?."No" spat Jhark, making room for Jallech to sit down "nothing useful in the 'fighting' techniques we're supposedly learning,but i did find something..strange in the book, there was an account of some 'Hell Minion' coming in to the world, to supposedly take the head of this knight person back to hell, but when it chopped of the head of the knight, the body still fought, and eventually killed the hell minion, now what do you call THAT for a fairytell"?. "I think today we'll get to sparr" said Jallech, his thoughts obviously elsewhere. "No,no,no" moaned Jhark "We'll never get to sparr, don't you see, Garatuls going to joke us around until we finally grow old enough to beat the demons out of e'm, thats what'll happen". "Really"? Jallech asked sarcastically "I would prefer my own gut feeling, i mean, is your theory really that believable? NEVER teach us to fight? My Father holds great faith in Garatul, he said their old friends, go way back together,a duo from some unexplained adventure, and if MY father is that close of friends with him, and this whole program goes back to 'ancient' times, and the Shadow is the martial art of the world, I believe we're going to a get alot more fighting training then 'none at all'".

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Garatul trudged down the garden in a fast past, thinking furiously about his friend, and his vague suspiciounse about Turen. His mind was in deep concentration, and it was giving him a headache. So many responsibilities to look after, Maluker would like his Son in good condicion when he told him what was really happening. So many things to think about, teach him physical fighting, teach him to sparr, tell him of his father and his departure, and the list went on and on.He was disobeying Maluker by thinking all these things. Thats right, he wouldn't let them trouble him, Maluker said he'd take care of everything on his return. But another thing caught Garatuls attention. What if Maluker didn't return? And if so, how many lies could Maluker afford to throw at the boy?. This drove Garatul more and more into his silent prayer.

O Creator
Bring Him Home
Use your light and my faith
To bring Maluker back
I cannot do this on my own..

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Jallech swung his sword wildely as he tried to subdue, or rather, hit, Jhark. They were playing the famouse game of imagination sword fighting. So far, Jallech was winning. "Unfair" Jhark spat "you've got the fat blade!". "Jhark be reasonable, heh, its the skinny blades that are better, shaper attacking ability" Laughed Jallech as he leaned back to dodge a furiouse swipe."GraaaaaaR" Growled a furiouse Jhark as he swung widely. Jallech began to get worried. "Jhark maybe we should stop". Obliviouse to the message, Jhark swung on, cuts and chops, punches and kicks. "JHARK STOP IT". Still, he chopped on. He connected with Jallechs head five times, and a kick to the stomach sent Jallech sprawling to the floor, blood was dripping from Jallechs head. As if from a dream, Jhark awoke, and looked surprised. "JALLECH"! he shouted "I-i what happened"?. "WHY YOU" Jallech Shouted, charging, fists flailing. He uppercutted Jhark three times, and a kick to the groin made jhark bend over, and then Jallech punched him in the nose. Jhark ran back to a spot, and observed his nose. It was two-on-two now. They both charged, connecting with each others heads every blow, and finally, they both fell down. "You have quit a temper" Jallech whisped through the side of his mouth. "You too" Jhark wheezed through thick layers of blood on his nose. Suddenly a shadow loomed over them. They looked up. There, was Master Garatul, not a good time, not at all."Boys" spat Garatul. "Yea, and if i remember, you are one, or maybe you...aren't" Jallech said speedily. "GRRR" spat Garatul "YOU SHALL TREAT ME WITH THE RESPECT DUE A MASTER OF THE ROYAL COURT"!!. At the end of Garatuls rage, Jallech and Jhark looked like two, hopeless, helpless, skrawny little dogs begging their master for forgiveness...

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"So" said Jallech "today was..eventfull". "Yes" agreed Jhark, and choosing his words carefully added "and your sure you didn't.bend things in your favor?". Jallech and Jhark looked like veterans of a very late battle, sitting at Jallechs wooden cottage table and eating chicken legs."Well" paused Jallech "maybe a little bit.."."I see" said Jhark coolly "then you did cheat". Abandoning all friendship, Jallech rose to his feet and shouted: "I WILL NOT HAVE YOU CALLING ME A CHEATER IN MY HOUSE". "Fine" Jhark said, abandoning his sudden interest in Jallechs cheating.An hour or two later, Jhark pushed his stool up and said: "I best be going". "Because"? Jallech asked. "Some meeting with Garatul". "I've had one of those, it was about admission to a higher level, he's going to promise you grand things i'll bet, but be sure of it, they'll never come to pass" said Jallech. Jhark shrugged, turned, and left the cottage.Jallech resigned, and went upstairs to brush his teeth. "I wonder why dads not back yet" he muttered to himself.He grabbed his wooden stick and started rubbing his teeth."Jolly old fun, brushing" he muttered to himself. But suddenly, he saw something that made him abandon laughter. His heart skipped a beat, or was it two? All time seemed to suddenly stop, his body became a furness of fear. The curtain had moved.Much more then a wind or an elbow could move it. Yes, he had seen it through the glass of his bathroom.And it suddenly became aware to him that someone else was in the room.He noticed it just in time, because when he turned around, there was a black figure running towards him holding a battle-axe!.The creature swung his axe widely in an untrained manner.Jallech dodged the attack. "You must be a new recruit" mocked Jallech as he twisted the battle axe out of his hands and slaughtered him.He hurried from the room and grabbed his bow. All his senses were aware. For some reason, he knew others would be here in seconds. As if they could sense one of their kin dieing. He heard a creak from upstairs. Another creak. Another. He tensed his bow. The creaks were growing rapid. He fired. The arrow went through the wood, and into some poor theifs foot. There was a howl, followed by blood dripping down the wall. Not much, but some.That creak would never creak again.But just as soon as Jallech got done praising himself on his shot, he realized his mistake. All the creaks had stopped.Jallech cursed himself underneath his breath.Then the footsteps started again. They were growing closer. Suddenly Jallech saw a man come through the open floor boards and say: "YOU CAN'T HIDE NOW!!!".The man was very strong, muscular, and fast. His eyes were an eerie red glow, full of mailice and hatred, telling a tale of pure evil and of a mens soul that had been sorely tried and defeated.. They told of countless victims and untold evil.He charged. Jallech planted his foot in the solid floor. WHen the man got close enough to punch, Jallech grabbed his arm and hoisted himself up on the mans head. The man feriouscly threw Jallech off, and he came running for one deadly move. Jallech quickly grabbed a knife and stuck it in the mans stomach. The man gulped, turned cold and fell to the floor lifeless.More footsteps echoed upstairs. Furiouse they seemed. They were hunting. These are strange highwaymen thought Jallech. But he couldn't fight ten at once, and so with a single stride, he was out the door.The hill in which Jallechs house was built on was (in day) very pretty, greens and whites and purples. But at night, the hill all looked black, there was mud all over, and it smelled of dew.It was all wet. But Jallech noticed something strange in the mud, something that should be, but was lacking..there were no footprints. THe robbers would have to come in someway, and would have left prints in the mud. Jallech ran.He skidded down the hill, running through the Outer Willpws in five minutes, when it would take a grown man at least fourty, but in his haste, he caught his shirt on a tree branch, and it unspun a little, he didn't care, he got out of the Outer Willows and rushed into the marketplace where he would be lost amongst the countless late-night shoppers. He tried to act as casual as possible. He didn't like his sudden judgement to leave. They would wreck and demolish everything his dad ever owned. Or worse, they'd find and kill him.Whatever this was, it was a shaking incident.Jalleh must not have succeeded in his look, because he found many an eye staring at him. He would smile back, and walk a little faster. The sooner he reached Shrine Elckanøck the better. He had to tell Maestar Garatul about this. Immediately. He didn't know what those were but they were surely not the common High-Way Thief. He walked through the market, a permanent un-flailing grin was permanetely stuck on his face. He was getting a lot of stares now. He reached the old stone steps and the fountain of Faerie Toolakna and the glass waterfall and he calmed a little. Nearly there.

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RaklatorÄn's face was screwed in a gruesome evil stare as he sniffed the air for his victims scent. There was no trace. Raklatoran stomped impatiently over to the inspection area of the house and barked some orders. His menacing frown warned his men that if they did not please him, he would kill them. He sniffed furiosly once more and took an unhuman jump down the house path.His eyes now glowed a furiose evil red that illuminated the whole valley.. Raklatoran...was angry.

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Jallech passed the Ancient Vines and the Cluttered Forest (which was really more of a clump of old-mahk sage brush then forest) with ease, his feet picked up more speed and became more light with every passing thought of what those unordinary high way thiefs would do to him if he didn't reach the temple in time. He saw the old familiar Temple Outpost ahead. That means only two more miles he thought. And only the DepthField River to wade and the Gurom Hive to surpass. Yes, it was going to be a long night he chuckled.

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Raklatoran had reached the Outer Willows. He'd have to keep low from now on as not to excite the villagers, his goal was to surely kill the boy without causing an uprising (and let me tell you, it was this Raklatoran's smartness that unfortunately planted the foundation for the coming of the Khan Whin). He growled low, his viciouse, red eyes scanning the ground for footsteps..there was nothing. Raklatoran stomped in the dirt and howled at his losses.HOW COULD LET THE BOY ESCAPE?. His foot caught something. He spun around. There, upon a small tree, was a thin peice of string. A travelers string..The Boys clothe string!Raklatoran gleemed with pride and roared a roar of satisfaction as he beat his massive, dirty wings in silent flaps, and flew down the trail..

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Jallech was breathing heavy. He heard wings in the distance. ANYTHING, could be a spie. Jallech rushed to the Depthie River and quickly stripped of his upper layer. He had only his Under-Layer on him. He dipped a foot into the water. It was colder then the pits of a damned mans soul, it nummed Jallechs foot on contact. He didn't care. He got caught halfway up the river in a sea-wead patch. He took a mighty gulp and put his head under-water and undid his foot from the sea-wead.The rest of the way was pretty smooth. He got up at the bank of the river and started into the Gurom Hive. There were viens all around, and old cobble-stone steps worn with age. In the day, Jallech would pass this small path in an instant. At night...thats a different story (and i am sure you'll see why). At Jallechs first tentitive step on the path, small green eyes arose from the bushes. On his second, small bodies and fragile wings protruded. On his third, the creatures charged. THey aimed their sharp beaks right at him, their poisenouse fangs at the ready. Jallech ran. He was cold, hungry, and shaken up. That didn't stop him. He ran and ran and ran. In seconds, he was out of the Gurom Hive. He looked up. There were five fountains each made of gold and in shapes of magnificent faeries. There were majestic gardens of Plum-Flowers and roses. And a large ancient building with circular windows was placed in the middle of it all. Jallech, was standing at the foot, of The Temple.

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Rakklatoran raced through the river. He smelled the boy very close. He raced through the gurom hive, snapping each little creatures spines by the dosen. He protruded from the temple and saw the boy. Jallechs eyes met the creature and he let out a silent gasp. Raklatoran screamed at the top of his maliciouse, evil lungs and took a charge at Jallech. Jallech ran up the steps just as Raklatoran grabbed at him.As Raklatoran tried to climb up the steps, suddenly a massice dome of light appeared, and Raklatoran shrieked and fell backwards, shrinking away. Jallech fell back, on someones leg. He looked up. It was Master Garatul! "M-Master Wh-What Wa-was that?". "That creature" paused garatul "is not any one thing, the best foundation i can give to you is that it is purely evil, and this temple is sacred, and therefor protected by Sacred-Magic, and that is why the creature could not enter". "But i've seen high way men enter here all the time" said Jallech, confused.Garatul smiled."They are of a lesser evil lad".Garatul then took Jallech by the arms, and they entered the holy shrine, The Temple.

Wew that was long and you still have more. I am gonna make a series called Remembering Jesse' its a modern based story it'll be up sometime this week.